(March 30, 2010)--For UTSA community members interested in volunteering, there is one more opportunity to support your community and country. The U.S. Census Bureau will host the event, March to the Mail Box, from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday April 10 at the Mexican American Unity Council, 2300 W. Commerce St. UTSA volunteers are invited to wear their orange-and-blue UTSA apparel.

Block walking will be from 10 a.m. to noon in teams led by Mayor Julian Castro. The goal is to increase the response rate for the U.S. Census by rallying in neighborhoods on San Antonio's West Side and East Side, which historically have included many non-responding households. Increasing the mail-back response rate saves taxpayer money that would be spent sending workers door to door starting in May.

>> Training for the block walk will be at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, April 8 at the El Progresso at Avenida Guadalupe Association, 1313 Guadalupe St., across Plaza Guadalupe. To register to volunteer, call 210-223-3151. For more information, e-mail Mary Jane Lopez. On walk day, volunteers should report to the parking lot off Buena Vista Street to pick up packets, t-shirts, caps, parade banners, lawn signs, air horns, rally signs, fliers and other materials.

The U.S. Census is a count of everyone residing in the United States; the census is mandated every 10 years by the U.S. Constitution. The census form has only 10 questions, and takes only 10 minutes to complete. If you have the form in hand, it's not too late to fill it out and mail it back in the postage-paid envelope. The official U.S. Census Day is Thursday, April 1.

The census determines the number of representatives from each state in the U.S. House of Representatives and also how $400 billion in federal funds are distributed annually to the states. This funding benefits education and community projects.

UTSA is doing its part to aid the success of the census with the U-Count @ UTSA campaign. The goal is to raise awareness of the U.S. Census and to make sure every student enrolled at UTSA is counted. Everyone must be counted including citizens and non-citizens living on and off campus.

UTSA hosted San Antonio's only stop of the U.S. Census touring van and also information tables and census form collection at the recent RowdyStock concert. Fliers have been distributed in UTSA residence facilities and door hangers have been posted at apartments adjacent to the UTSA Main Campus. Additionally, census representatives continue to provide information tables at the Main and Downtown campuses to raise awareness and to recruit census employees.

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Toll-free U.S. Census information lines

English: 1-866-872-6868

Spanish: 1-866-928-2010

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Need a job? U.S. Census jobs testing is March 30-31, April 1

The 2010 U.S. Census employee-testing sessions are March 30, March 31 and April 1 for those interested in good weekly pay, mileage reimbursement and experience with America's count of its population.

Test takers can walk in to take an exam, but are encouraged to call the census jobs line at 1-866-861-2010 to schedule a test time. The exam tests math, logic and comprehension skills of potential census workers.

Proof of identification is required; bring a passport or a combination of two other valid unexpired types of identification -- one of which must have a photograph (acceptable photo IDs include a driver's license, government ID card or student ID card) -- in addition to a Social Security card, birth certificate or a U.S. Citizen ID card.

The U.S. Census Bureau plans to hire thousands of local workers. The jobs are good for college students and stay-at-home parents. Work schedules are flexible and most jobs pay from $10.50 to $14 an hour for job titles ranging from clerk to supervisor. The jobs will run from four to 12 weeks or longer.

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